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Report a Typo2Corinthians ◦ Chapter 5
1Now, we know that this earthly body is like a tent or hospital gown that wears out easily and leaves us exposed. And if this earthly body–which our individuality currently occupies–is destroyed, we have an eternal body that will never wear out; a heavenly dwelling place for our individuality, but not built by human hands.2Meanwhile, the older we get, the more we groan, longing to be free of this deteriorating body and to be clothed in our perfect heavenly body,3because when we have exchanged this mortal body for our heavenly one, we will not be found sick, dying, and exposed.4For while we are in this collapsing tent, we groan with the burden of aging and slow decay. We don't want to die to be rid of this worn-out body, but we want to be translated directly into our heavenly body so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by eternal life.5God’s intention for us has never changed: He created us to live eternally and — as the first phase of our restoration — has given us the Spirit to heal our minds, guaranteeing our future complete re-creation. 6We certainly know that as long as this frail body is our home, we remain away from the Lord;7but we live by trusting God with how things will turn out — not by waiting to see the future restoration.8Therefore we are confident while in the mortal body, even though we prefer to be translated into our heavenly body and be at home with the Lord.9Our goal is to be pleasing to him by living in harmony with his design for life — whether we are in this mortal body or our heavenly one — 10for we will all appear in Christ's examining room so that each one may be accurately diagnosed and receive what their condition warrants, whether from compliance or non-compliance with God's treatment plan. 11Because we are completely in awe of the Lord, we try to persuade everyone of his goodness and trustworthiness. God knows the condition of our hearts perfectly, and I hope our motives are clear to you also.12We are not trying to promote ourselves but reveal ourselves, so you can be confident that God is healing us, and so that you can effectively deal with those who value external appearances rather than what really matters–character development.13If we are in a frenzy, it is for God's cause; if we are calm and coherent, it is for your need,14as Christ’s love–the design protocol upon which all life is built–is what rules our lives. We realize that one Man died to provide Remedy for every human being, as all are terminal.15He died to provide Remedy to all humanity so that those who live will not live dominated by selfishness, but in love for him who died to heal them and was raised again!16We no longer view people through the lens of self-promotion, like the world does. Sadly, we had once regarded Christ as foolish for not promoting himself, but gladly, we no longer do.17For anyone who has joined their heart in unity with Christ receives regeneration of character and is created anew to be like Christ. The old selfish character is replaced with the new Christlike character.18All of this healing and transformation is from God, who–in the person of Christ–fixed the damage sin did to humanity and restored humanity into unity with himself, and now gives us the privilege of sharing with others the healing Remedy that Christ achieved.19God has not been counting men's defects and sins against them as something to be punished, but has been working through Christ to heal mankind and restore humanity back into perfect unity with himself. And he has given to us the mission of sharing this healing Remedy with everyone!20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, reaching out to you as though God himself were pleading with you to come home and be healed. We beg you, on behalf of Christ: Let God heal you from certain death to eternal life!21He can do this because he ordained that Christ, who had no selfishness of his own, take our selfish condition upon himself in order to cleanse and recreate humanity back to God's original ideal, so that by uniting with Christ we might be restored to the perfect righteousness of God.